


Affairs

by Choke-a-Bro (Vanya_Deyja)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Happy Ending AU, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:47:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21615454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanya_Deyja/pseuds/Choke-a-Bro
Summary: Gladio made a mistake two years ago. He regrets it but he took care of it. Which is all well and good until it comes out during an emergency council meeting...
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 13
Kudos: 146





	Affairs

**Author's Note:**

> I was in another weird mood...?

The council meeting is tense. It’s closed door today- no cameras, no minutes- and sitting at the head of the table flanked by his closest retainers and his queen Noctis looks sombre. Gladio knows something is afoot but despite Ignis’ best attempts to wrangle his spy network they don’t have the upper hand today. Gladio expects whatever his cousin has decided is so important it has to be presented to King Noctis immediately it can’t be good.

Gladio’s cousins, lesser factions of the Amictia line, have been looking to replace, oust or otherwise smear him since they were children. Theirs is a proud, jealous, family of warriors battling for glory but Gladio knows he’s proven himself as Noctis’ Shield. He is confident in his position. After all, none of those cowards came to their aid when Insomnia fell.

Arthur Amicitia, spineless gossip he is, presents his case to the King with something of a flourish. He starts with all the pleasantries; praising the King and the Oracle, his queen, thanking him for an audience—

Noctis doesn’t have time for this.

“Get on with it.” Noctis orders curtly, resting back in his seat.

Arthur sputters, proud and immediately flustered.

“You have promised us you have news befitting the King,” Ignis picks up Noctis’ train of thought a touch more tactfully. “I have made time for your news but the King has a great deal to attend to so it would be best if you could say plainly what exactly this is all about.”

Noctis is only twenty-five. He’s been on the throne only a few messy summers. He and Lady Lunafreya may rule the largest nation to ever crisscross Eos but Noctis claimed his throne through bloodshed. He has slummed it. He has known the ache of having nothing and nowhere to go home to. He doesn’t like fanciful pleasantries. He has no time for them anymore. He has things to do. Gladio loves him with every fibre of his being, of course, but Noctis’ airs can make him intimidating to the strongest men.

“Well then…” Arthur gathers himself. “To put it plainly I have come here to accuse Gladiolus Amicitia of treason.”

At the head of the table Ignis, Luna and Prompto share a glance, sombre and tense, but Noctis? Noctis laughs outright and Gladio can’t help but rub impatiently at his temple.

“And what evidence do you have for this absurd accusation?” Noctis demands. 

“I have conducted a thorough investigation, your Majesty,” the lesser Amicitia insists. “I have charges made in excess of two thousand yen for secret meetings. I have witness testimony from Glaives and security footage which confirms the King’s Shield was unaccounted for on multiple occasions.” 

“When?” Ignis grunts, extending his hand expectantly.

“Two years ago.” He continues, gathering up his documents in an indignant fluster and passing them up the council table to Ignis.

Gladio’s stomach slams through his feet.

_Oh fuck_.

It’s like a train wreck in slow motion.

Ignis flickers through the documents with a kind of stern urgency. The council, well trained by now, wait quietly for Ignis’ appraisal but by Ignis’ side Prompto can’t hide his concern or his confusion. Gladio can see Prompto wracking his memory for some explanation. What were they doing two years ago? Gladio can practically hear him thinking it.

Gladio tries to remain impassive but his eyes must reveal some fraction of his mounting panic because Noctis frowns.

“These could mean any number of things,” Ignis declares levelly. “Treason is a serious accusation. You have a discrepancy. You don’t have proof of treason.”

“Then what does Shield Amicitia claim he was doing exactly?” Arthur shoots back stubbornly. “I would not be surprised if he was consorting with Niff monarchists.”

“And I would not be surprised if a proper investigation revealed nothing of concern.” Ignis replies without hesitation.

Ignis loves Gladio, just like Noctis and Prompto love him, and Ignis will defend him.

Gladio wants to throw up.

“I have a simpler solution.” Noctis declares. “Gladiolus has been my Shield since before I was born. I have absolutely no doubts about his loyalty. There is no doubt a completely reasonable explanation. One I’m sure Gladiolus will detail for us right here, right now.”

Gladio glances from Ignis to Prompto. He can’t bare to look at Noctis. He doesn’t know how to explain himself. He doesn’t know what to say that won’t decimate everything. They love him, they trust him and they’re looking at him now expecting an answer.

“Gladio?” Noctis presses.

Gladio glances to him, caught in his intense orbit, and feels his throat turn dry.

There’s no time to think of a clever lie.

“I was….” Gladio swallows under Noctis gaze. “I was seeing a woman.”

The council members sigh audibly, one noble even laughs in Arthur’s face, but the air at the head of the table is steely. Ignis’ expression twitches, barely noticeable to an unfamiliar observer, but Gladio can see those clever gears turning over. Prompto is as white as sheet. Noctis…

Gladio braves a glance.

Noctis is staring at him, lips pursed into a thin line, and he looks focused, level, but in those big blue eyes Gladio can see the harbingers of his doom. He’s known Noctis since he was a baby. He knows trouble. He knows that look. That intense, ready to pounce, look of abject horror mottled with superhuman rage.

“Well,” a council member snorts mockingly, “if everyone’s heard quite enough—”

“Out.”

The council stiffen, heads whipping back worriedly to the head of the table where Noctis is taking a steady, forced, inhale. They know that tone. They know it means ruin and damnation for the next man to move wrong.

“_Out!_” Noctis booms.

The council hurry to their feet immediately.

Ignis and Luna exchange a glance. Luna reaches for Noctis, Ignis opens his mouth—

“All of you!” Noctis slams his hands against the table as he finds his feet. “We’re adjourned!”

There’s no arguing with him when he’s like this. There’s no talking to him when he’s like this. Gladio knows that. He’s killed behemoths and he wouldn’t step in front of Noctis right now. His whole heart twists as the inner circle scramble to their feet in frantic compliance.

Noctis storms out of the council like a typhoon on the move. The council hurry out of the room. One smarter noble goes so far as to grasp Arthur Amicitia’s arm and drag him into compliance with a quick exit. He won’t be winning any favors from the King today.

Gladio stands there, lost, totally lost.

Prompto dithers for a moment, glancing between him and Ignis, but shaking his head darts off after Noctis. He’ll have the best chance out of any of them. Noctis would never raise so much as a finger at Prompto.

Gladio glances to Ignis. Ignis takes a long, hard, look at him, picks up Arthur’s evidence, and turns away to leave without another word.

Gladio’s insides twist.

Lady Lunafreya is the last lingering there beside him.

Their eyes meet and slumping back into his seat Gladio buries his face in his hands.

He’s ruined everything.

Luna wavers, rubbing her knuckles thoughtfully, but taking a deep breath she steps around the table and touches his shoulder.

“Let’s go talk,” she invites gently.

* * *

In the Queen’s private rooms Gladio feels every bit disgraced. He’s cleared his name, he’s bucked serious accusations of treason, but none of that brings him any joy. It was a simple, logical, explanation but that’s beside the point.

Gladio, Noctis, Prompto and Ignis have been deeply, desperately, in love since the superhuman messiness of that fateful road trip threw them together. Gladio always cared deeply for Ignis, for Noctis, but he’d never kissed them before their long nights in the tent started.

Now, in the midst of their happily every after, in the beautiful palace they fought tooth and nail for, Gladio’s shame threatens to compromise everything.

“I don’t understand,” Luna admits very gently. “The year Noctis spent in the Crystal I could understand but two years ago we were… I didn’t think anything was wrong?”

“Things were…” Gladio growls, dragging his hands through his hair. He feels so stupid.

Luna encourages him to continue. Luna knows. How could she miss it? She has her own paramours to complicate the diplomatic happiness and friendship she and Noctis share. She doesn’t begrudge the King his romance and he doesn’t press her about hers. Gladio knows Noctis and Luna care for each other, are intimate, but as much as they might feel for each other their hearts belong to different people. They’ll have children, heirs, but they will also always have their consorts; Noctis’ closet Kingsglaive, Luna’s Queen’s Guard… it’s a peace, a respectful appreciation of each other’s happiness, that Gladio knows he wouldn’t be capable of himself.

“Noctis had taken the throne, yes, but the rebuilds were in full swing. Ignis was working more than anything else. You and Noctis were figuring out a balance for your marriage. Prompto was looking for a position that better suited him, pouring himself into charity work. Noctis didn’t… there wasn’t anyone to protect him from anymore and I was in my dead father’s office and I just…”

“It was too much?” Luna supposes.

“I just felt disconnected from the others.” Gladio whispers. “It was hard. I felt weak for not being able to handle it better or help more. I wanted something that was simple, distracting,_ masturbatory_. I wanted to… I don’t know, escape for a little while.”

“That’s all reasonable, Gladio,” Luna assures, hands folded in her delicate lap while he has a breakdown. “You ended it though?”

“Yeah, eventually.” Gladio sighs.

“You got bored?”

“No,” Gladio shakes his head. “But she wasn’t Prom or Iggy or Noct. She was just some woman. I didn’t love her. I didn’t want to build a life with _her_. I couldn’t…. I hated lying to them, acting like everything was fine. I realized they were just muddling along as best they could too and I needed to stop with the pity party.”

“Why didn’t you just say so then?”

“I…” Gladio moans, dragging a hand through his hair. “They were all working so hard. I didn’t want to add ‘_hey guys I had an affair_’ to the list. Mostly I just… I didn’t want to break their hearts….”

Gladio takes a deep breath.

“I waited the whole fucking year Noct was in the Crystal. I didn’t touch anyone. I couldn’t. But when everything was good I put my fucking dick in some—” Gladio groans, cutting himself off. “I felt pathetic. I _feel_ pathetic.”

“You’re going to have to talk to them,” Luna warns. “The only way this is ever going to get better is if you’re honest with them.”

“Ignis is going to kill me.”

“Maybe,” Luna sighs, not really dismissing the claim. “But they’ll want an explanation sooner or later. They love you very much Gladio. I’m sure they want to forgive you.”

“Should they?” Gladio snorts.

“Are you sorry?” Luna poses.

“More than anything.” Gladio sighs. “There’s not a damn thing I regret more than betraying them like that. Every time Prom smiled at me afterwards it felt like a fucking knife in my chest. I’ve never felt more fucking worthless. I love them _so much_, I just…”

“All you can do is apologize,” Luna offers. “Hopefully that’ll be enough.”

* * *

Gladio knows the longer he ruminates on the matter the worst the problem will become. He needs to rally. He can’t win any battle sprawled on his ass crying his eyes out. If he’s going to get anywhere near forgiveness he knows he’ll have to work his way up the chain.

He finds Prompto waiting for him in his office. Evidently the blonde didn’t have much luck with Noctis. Gladio’s glad to see him, all the same, but his heart twists when Prompto glances up at him and he finds the little freckled beauty has been crying big fat tears.

“Prom…” Gladio closes the door behind himself quietly. “Prom, I’m so sorry….”

“I just…” Prompto is curled up in the big armchair and Gladio crouches before him, aching to take his hand. “I just don’t understand, Gladdy. Did we do something…?”

“I did something,” Gladio murmurs. “I made a bad choice. It wasn’t anything you did, Prom, I just… I can give you all the reasons I did it and the reasons I stopped but I still did it and I’m sorry.”

Prompto swallows thickly, obviously still quite upset.

“I love you,” Prompto reels softly. “I…”

“And I love you,” Gladio promises. “I love you more than anything.”

“Was there anyone else?” Prompto murmurs.

“No, just that one.” Gladio swears.

“Then why…?” Prompto demands.

“Because I was sad.” He tries to explain. “I just wanted an outlet that didn’t involve bringing any of you down. You had your own drama.”

“I…” Prompto laughs brokenly, “I _want_ to forgive you but I don’t think I’m a great judge of that sort of thing. I would’ve forgiven Ardyn. I’d feel better if Iggy and Noct…”

“That’s okay.” Gladio nods, ashamed. “I understand.”

“I think Iggy’s holding fort in his office. Noct didn’t… He wanted to be alone.” Prompto murmurs. “I’d try Iggy first.”

“Right,” Gladio nods. “Do you want to stay here Prom? Or do you want me to take you somewhere?”

“I might stay here,” Prompto decides distantly, glancing to the window. “I’ve got my cell if anything changes.”

“Okay,” Gladio sighs, standing up.

Prompto’s fingers fish his hand up from his side, tugging gently. Gladio pivots in an instant and squeezing Prompto’s hand between both of his presses a sexless kiss to the blonde’s temple.

Prompto releases him.

Gladio moves on to face his next great obstacle…

* * *

Ignis’ office is usually such a safe place but today it feels about twenty-degrees colder than it actually is. Gladio has to ask Ignis’ secretary if the Hand of the King will see him. Normally he’d just walk in, just assert his familiarity in that casual way, but he won’t test Ignis like that today.

“Your Grace,” the secretary murmurs into the intercom, “Lord Amicitia is here to see you?”

There’s a very long pause.

“Your Grace…?” The confused secretary tries again, gently. “Y-Yes your Grace, I’ll send him in.”

She gestures to Gladio and he gives his thanks.

Inside the office proper its painfully quiet. The soft classical music Ignis often plays while he works is notably absent.

Gladio takes a deep breath as he steps before Ignis’ desk.

“I only have one eye to watch you grovel,” Ignis cuts him off snidely, “perhaps you ought to beg?”

“Ignis, I’m sorry,” Gladio strains, pained.

“You’re going to have to do a whole lot better than that, Amicitia.” Ignis warns, eyes flashing up from his desk to zone in on Gladio like heat seeking missiles. “Noctis doesn’t currently have grounds to execute or discharge you but given an hour in the archives I’m sure I could invent some for him.”

“I can’t take it back, I can just plead with you to be merciful,” Gladio sighs. “There is nothing I’ve ever done that I regret more. If I could take it back, Ignis, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do. You three are the loves of my life, I would do anything—”

“I trusted you, Gladio,” Ignis snaps, sick of his whining. “Noctis is my whole world. When that condition expanded to include Prompto I was _so scared_. I trusted you to protect them with me. I trusted you to love them just as much as I do. I trusted you not to break their hearts. Because I love you, because I depend on you, because_ I trust you_. And _you_—” Ignis riles, pushing up from his desk. “you…” Ignis shakes his head. “If I had known you were capable of this, Gladio, I would’ve killed you myself.”

“I know,” Gladio takes it all. “There’s nothing I can say that will make it right. I am sorry, truly, but all I can do is beg for you to give me another chance. It will never happen again, Ignis. Never.”

Ignis takes a deep breath, every hair on end, riled like an angry cat but a million times fiercer.

“If I ever suspect you’ve done something like this again,” Ignis warns, “and I will be watching now, I will… you don’t want to know what I will do. They will never find your body for burial.”

Gladio nods, he can live with that.

“You will be transparent with them,” Ignis instructs. “If Noctis wants to know where you are every second, every day, for the rest of your life you will comply. Are we agreed?”

“Of course, anything you need,” Gladio promises.

Ignis sighs, clutching his temple miserably.

Gladio waits, daring not to hope, lingering on baited breath…

Ignis rounds the desk to him.

Gladio takes a deep breath, almost worried, as Ignis cups his cheeks and pulls them together. He doesn’t kiss him but presses their foreheads together and swears softly like he wants to hit Gladio. Gladio laughs weakly, hands tentatively reaching to hold Ignis. He’s relieved, just a little, but he feels awful.

“I’m sorry, Iggy,” he whispers. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

“Next time, you great idiot, talk to me.” Ignis murmurs. “Even if Noctis and Prompto are going through a lot, even if we’re all going through a lot, you need to talk to us. Because if you don’t you’ll make an awful decision and you can’t take those back.”

“Right, you can say that again,” Gladio sighs miserably.

“I can’t promise Noctis is going to be reasonable, I can’t promise he’s not going to beat the shit out of you,” Ignis warns.

“Anything it takes,” Gladio promises. “I don’t care. I can’t bear to break his heart. I’d rather be dead than be in a world where I can’t be with you three.”

Ignis nods, slumping against him weakly, nails curling very tight in his uniform.

* * *

Noctis is in his rooms, high up in the upper levels. And Gladio knows immediately that the King is not in a civil mood because his magic is visibly churning around the rooms. He’s_ distraught_. Gladio can understand that; Gladio swore his unending loyalty when they were children and then, when they were grown, he swore his everlasting love. He’s sullied both those vows and Noctis, who believes every promise he makes with his whole heart, can’t be expected to handle that betrayal gracefully.

The guards on duty look concerned when Gladio arrives. There’s ice magic seeping out from under the door for one thing.

“His Majesty said not to disturb him, Lord Amicitia,” a Glaive explains. “But we got concerned something was wrong. Lord Scientia confirmed we ought to leave him alone but…”

“I’ll take it from here,” Gladio assures. “Pull back for now to the next corridor. This could get explosive.”

To say the least…

Luckily, as Noctis’ Shield Gladio has the authority to assume sole protection of him in any situation so the Glaive withdraw but no one’s going to protect Gladio from Noctis…

Gladio has to force the door open. The ice has frozen it shut.

Noctis has been rampaging in that way only chosen kings can. Things are strewn all over the floor, furniture back-flipped, and clearing this up is going to be an operation.

Noctis has always felt his feelings in a big way. Its one of the best and worst things about him. He’s incapable of faking a smile but when he gives you one, when he really means it, it’s like the whole world is shimmering around him. He’s stunning.

Gladio steadies himself.

He can feel the static in the air, real magic lightning threatening to burst free.

He pushes into the King’s bedroom. Noctis is sprawled on the bed they share, face buried in the sheets, more miserable than Gladio thinks he’s ever seen him.

Gladio has to crunch the ice on the floor to get anywhere close to Noctis. He’s sure the King is aware of him so he doesn’t announce himself but, getting closer, he kneels at the edge of the bed and rests his hands on the mattress.

“Highness…?” He whispers.

“Everything,” Noctis rasps. “I want to know everything.”

He sounds like he’s been crying.

“Okay,” Gladio nods. “Her name was Amelia. She was working in translations. I didn’t tell her anything about our personal lives but she knew I was breaking a commitment to see her. I saw her maybe twice a week for six months two years ago. Mostly it was sex.”

“Why?” Noctis demands, hissing, refusing to look up.

“The rebuilds had gotten intense and I felt like no one needed me, like I couldn’t do anything useful. I didn’t want to make your lives harder. I just… I wanted an outlet. I picked a shitty one and I felt terrible every second it was happening. That’s why I stopped.”

“Stopped, but never confessed.” Noctis points out, voice icy.

“I was scared, I thought maybe it would be better if you never found out—”

“Found out you _lied_ to me.” Noctis growls.

“Yes,” Gladio whispers.

“If you were anyone else,” Noctis warns, lifting his tear streaked face out of the sheets, “you would already be dead.”

“I know,” Gladio snorts, perfectly aware. “You and Iggy would’ve turned me into paste.”

“Do you still love me…?” Noctis wonders miserably.

“_What?_” Gladio blinks. “Noct, of course. I love you more than anything. Why would--?”

“Because you slept with someone else,” Noctis snaps.

“Yes, baby,” Gladio whispers, “I love you so much.”

Noctis gives him this look, this strange look, and in that moment Gladio’s sure Noctis can see right through him. In that moment he feels more miserable than he’s ever felt because he’s not Noctis’ invincible Shield in that moment; he’s just a flawed, stupid, man and Noctis knows it. Noctis can see him, just human, _weak_.

“You will show me you are sorry.” Noctis tells him.

“Anything,” Gladio promises.

“Firstly, you will let Ignis conduct a thorough investigation to assure me nothing else is going on. Secondly, you will do whatever penance Prompto thinks is appropriate. Until both those tasks are completed to my satisfaction you will not act as my Shield. Officially or otherwise.”

“Noct—” Gladio strains, pained.

“That’s the deal, Gladio.” Noctis cuts simply. “We clear?”

“Yes Highness,” Gladio answers, more dismayed than relieved. Nothing could be worse than being denied his rightful place at Noctis’ side.

“Good,” Noctis slumps back against the bed, “now get over here you jerk.”

Gladio scrambles onto the bed and Noctis pulls him close. They tangled into each other, sheets cold, Gladio clutches Noctis so tight he risks hurting him. Noctis buries his face in his neck, blunt nails digging into his tattoo through his uniform, and Gladio trembles.

“I’ll make it up to you,” he promises.

“I know,” Noctis assures them both softly. “I love you so much.”

“And I love you,” Gladio whispers.


End file.
